Welcome to the Inheritance Page!
This page contains 3 topics that will help you learn more about Inheritance. Each topic contains a brief introdcution and online actvities. At the end of each topic there is an activity for you to complete and turn in to your teacher. You can identify these activities by looking for the orange check.

Topic 1: Explain how genes and alleles are related to genotype and phenotype.
Genes affect the traits of offspring. An organism’s appearance is known as its phenotype. In our bunny rabbits, possible phenotypes for their fur color include brown and white. Both inherited alleles together form an organism’s genotype. Our baby bunny rabbits with brown fur could have a genotype of either “BB” or “Bb”. Another of our baby bunny rabbits may have white fur and their genotype would be expressed “bb”. Phenotype refers to the appearance or expression of the trait, and genotype refers to the genetic make-up of the gene.
Remember: If you are asked for a phenotype, you should give a characteristic (brown or white). If you are asked for a genotype, you should give an allele combination “bb” or “Bb” or “BB”.

Use these websites to learn more about phenotype, genotype and to preview Punnett squares.
Probability of Inheritance: http://anthro.palomar.edu/mendel/mendel_2.htm
Thinkquest: http://library.thinkquest.org/20830/Textbook/Genetics.htm

Complete #1-3: Sponge Bob Genetics 1
Complete #1-3: Sponge Bob Genetics 2
Students may use the class wiki for help on these assignments. Students who answer questions posted by other students will receive extra credit. http://kilkennylms.wikispaces.com/SpongeBob+Genetics

Topic 2: Use the information in a Punnett Square.
The Punnett square is a diagram used to predict an outcome of a particular cross or breeding experiment. It is named after Reginald C. Punnett, who devised the approach, and is used by biologists to determine the probability of an offspring having a particular genotype or phenotype. The Punnett square is a summary of every possible combination of two maternal (mother) alleles with two paternal (father) alleles for each gene being studied in the cross.

Play “Pass the Genes, please”. Play until you can create the whole “baby melon” without any mistakes: http://nature.ca/genome/04/041/0414_e.cfm

Complete the following online lab to learn more about Punnett squares: http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_05/BL_05.html

Finish both Sponge Bob Genetics 1 and 2.
Students may use the class wiki for help on these assignments. Students who answer questions posed by other students will receive extra credit. http://kilkennylms.wikispaces.com/SpongeBob+Genetics

Topic 3: Explain how probability can be used to predict possible genotypes in offspring.
The mathematical chance that something will happen is known as probability. Probability is usually written as a percentage or a ratio. When you toss a coin, there is a 50% chance of getting heads. In a parent with two different alleles, such as Pp, there is a 50% chance of offspring getting a "P" and a 50% chance of getting a "p".

In the above example, the Dad rabbit is homozygous for grey fur and the mother is homozygous for brown fur. Each parent contributes on of their alleles to their offspring. Because grey is dominant, their offspring will all be heterozygous for grey fur. If we were asked for the genotypic probability or ratio, we would express it as 100% Bb or 4:4 Bb. If we were asked for the phenotypic probability or ratio, we would express it as 100% grey or 4:4 grey. On your own paper, create a cross between two bunnies using the same principles stated above but make the father’s genotype "Bb" and the mother’s genotype "Bb". Figure out the probability of their genotypes and their phenotypes. Check your answers.

Play Hoop Shoot and predict possible outcomes of a genetic cross. You may need a scratch sheet of paper. http://www.sciencereviewgames.com/srg/games/hs.php?id=136



Culminating Activity
Create one of the following to explain how to complete and analyze a Punnett square: Wiki page, PowerPoint, Movie, Bulletin Board.. Be sure to review the rubric before you begin, so you know how you will be assessed.